Mayor visits Shanghai’s Urban Planning Office to gain insight into Chinese city’s development

During his official visit to China, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited the Urban Planning Office of the renowned city of Shanghai on Friday.

According to a statement issued by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Chinese officials welcomed the delegation led by Wahab and provided a detailed briefing on Shanghai’s modern urban system and future planning strategies.

The mayor appreciated Shanghai’s planning model and praised the city's innovation and visible progress in urban development. The delegation comprised KMC Metropolitan Commissioner SM Afzal Zaidi, Financial Adviser Gulzar Ali Abro and Senior Director of Culture and Sports Mehdi Maluf.

The mayor emphasised the importance of knowledge exchange and expressed interest in adopting similar urban planning frameworks in Karachi to enhance the city's administrative efficiency. He remarked that the visit to Shanghai marked a constructive step towards providing sustainable, safe and efficient urban amenities in Karachi.

He noted that the use of modern technology and integrated systems could significantly ease the challenges faced by Karachi’s citizens. The delegation was briefed on Shanghai’s cutting-edge infrastructure and various urban planning models.

He said that the insights gained from Shanghai would inspire Karachi’s municipal institutions to revisit and refine their existing strategies. He affirmed that providing better travel and civic facilities to the people of Karachi was no longer a distant dream but a dream that was gradually becoming a reality. He said better travel facilities in Karachi would not only improve the quality of lives of its residents but also elevate the city’s profile on the global stage. Concluding the visit, the mayor stated that he had learnt from the visit how sincerity, vision and practical steps could transform the destiny of a city.